Rysher Entertainment
Rysher Entertainment was the owner of television and film programming content, primarily distributed around the world by CBS Television Distribution and Paramount Pictures. Select rights are also distributed by Warner Bros., Universal, Lionsgate, Fox, Columbia Pictures, MGM and other entertainment distribution companies worldwide. The company has its roots in Bing Crosby Productions ("BCP"). Its namesake, actor-singer Bing Crosby, founded BCP in 1949, and was best known for producing the sitcom Hogan's Heroes and the medical drama Ben Casey – in succeeding years, BCP was acquired by Cox Broadcasting. In 1993, Cox acquired Rysher Entertainment. Rysher, founded in April 1991 by Keith Samples, had been established as an independently owned company whose original sole product had been the distribution of NBC's series Saved By The Bell (at the time, NBC was unable to distribute its series in syndication due to fin-syn rules). In 1993, and later distribution of another NBC series California Dreams in 1994, Rysher merged with Al Masini's Television Program Enterprises to form Rysher TPE, its alternate name used from 1993 to 1994. Through Rysher TPE, they produced and distributed shows such as Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (renamed Lifestyles with Robin Leach and Shari Belafonte for its final season) and Star Search. Later, they produced and distributed George & Alana, which ran for one season in 1995. The company would later branch out into theatrical films, and in the span of three years had produced over two dozen feature films. The company then shut down its theatrical film unit in 1997 due to under-performing box office sales. Then the company was shut down in 1999 after Viacom entered an agreement with Cox Enterprises that would allow Paramount Pictures and its television unit to handle distribution rights. Rysher's library, today is incorporated into the libraries of CBS Television Distribution (CTD) and Paramount Pictures (for TV series and films, respectively), which includes television and feature film classics such as Hogan's Heroes (whose partial rights are held by CBS), Ben Casey, and Walking Tall, as well as more recent programs and films including Nash Bridges (1999–2001 episodes are produced by Paramount Network Television), Highlander: The Series, The Opposite of Sex (with Sony Pictures Classics), Kingpin and Big Night. Rysher also distributes internationally through CTD several of HBO's award-winning titles including Arli$$, Oz and Sex and the City. Rysher also produced House Arrest and Zeus and Roxanne, both of which were released by MGM and distributed by HBO Home Video for home release. Rysher's assets were later acquired by 2929 Entertainment in 2001, then in 2006 they were bought by Qualia Capitol, LLC. and were merged with Gaylord Films and Pandora Entertainment. The combined entity is known as Qualia Libraries Co. (which was later acquired by Tartan Entertainment). Most of the film library is currently handled by Paramount Pictures for both home media and digital distribution, with the exception of The Opposite of Sex. Rysher was absorbed into Mandalay on November 1, 2019. Distribution rights to the entire library of Rysher Entertainment could still change again with the 2019 corporate reuniting of Viacom and CBS.